A survey of heart failure patients revealed several barriers they experience in self-care that lead to their trip to the ER. The survey was designed by researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
"In order to reduce the number of patients returning to the emergency department for heart failure exacerbations, we need a better handle on what they can and cannot do for themselves after hospital discharge and why," said lead study author Richard Holden, PhD, from Indiana University in Indianapolis.
So, the researchers surveyed 31 acute heart failure patients who visited the ER. They identified 47 self-care barriers that led to their ER visit. Below are the 10 most prevalent barriers:
- Co-morbidities
- Physical disability
- Feeling frustrated
- Knowledge about disease
- Functional limitations
- Memory and attention deficits
- Special occasions (minor disruptions)
- Lack of control
- Disruptions (major)
"The first step in addressing these barriers is to develop a focused, valid and feasible measurement instrument for self-care barriers in the ER," Dr. Holden said. "The social determinants of health, along with factors such as poverty and a lack of transportation, must be addressed in order to improve the ER bounce-back rate for acute heart failure patients."